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Monday, November 23, 2015

#ShedHappens with Baby Persians

I've grown up with pets my entire life (50+ years). I've had turtles, birds, fish, dogs, and cats. I honestly don't remember a lot of preparation for a new pet except for buying supplies and food. My dogs always lived outdoors back in the '60s, so there wasn't a lot of concern about the problems of cleaning with an indoor pet. I adopted my first cat back in the '70s and she was my first "indoor only" pet. A broom was all I needed to clean up litter and food on the floor. Muff had a thick fur coat, but it didn't shed much. Muff lived to be 19 years old before going to the bridge.

My first cat, Muff (circa 1979)

The second cat who came to live with me was in 1995. Sweet Praline was a baby Persian and boy could she make a mess. I'd never had a cat who required regular grooming and who could make a mess with her flat little face. Once again, I used a broom and dust pan to clean up the cat litter, kibble, and fur. I began to experience the "challenges" of cleaning up with being owned by a Persian with all of the fur.

My first Persian, Sweet Praline (circa 1995)

I lost Sweet Praline to cancer in 2011. It had been 16 years since I'd had a kitten and had forgotten all of the challenges with bringing a new little fur child into my home again. By now, the Internet was going strong with all of the social media outlets available to let us know how to prepare for a new kitten. Even though I'd had two cats previously, I felt like it was the first time ever when I brought Truffle and Brulee into my home in 2011. Truffle and Brulee are two silver shaded Persians, who have a cottony, soft fur that goes everywhere. I remember purchasing special food, bedding, toys, scratchers, etc. to make their home special. I researched everything I could to help me have a safe, secure, and happy home for my fur babies.

Truffle was a little older than Brulee and began mothering her immediately. Don't they look so happy?

I've never thought about messes in the house being a deterrent to bringing in that special fur child, but 75% of people who don't have a pet agree that concerns about pet-related messes could prevent them from getting a pet. Since Truffle and Brulee have that cottony-soft fur, it can be a problem keeping the house clean, especially when people come over for a visit. Their fur is in every corner of the house and can be difficult to clean up. Swiffer® has numerous products to help pick up pet fur.

I want other people to know the joys of being owned by that special fur child and am happy to announce that Swiffer® and Bark & Co. want to help more children experience that special love through pet adoption and allow parents more time to play than clean up pet-related messes. Barkbox and Swiffer are teaming up to make sure cleaning concerns are never an obstacle when bringing your child's first pet. They are partnering with participating shelters to provide a 10,000 Welcome Home kits packed with goodies and cleaning supplies to new pup parents who adopt through December. Swiffer is also making a $50,000 donation to select shelters to support their needs this holiday season. You can see if your local shelter is participating by visiting http://swiffer.barkbox.com.

On November 12, 2015, Actor Scott Foley joined forces with Swiffer in New York City to launch Swiffer's "Welcome Home" child's first pet campaign. Foley serves as Swiffer campaign ambassador to help spread the word that clean concerns should never be an obstacle to pet adoption. New pet owners are encouraged to share a photo of their new fur-ever family and everything in their Welcome Home Kit box with @Swiffer and @BarkBox to show how they are ready for when #ShedHappens.

Photo by Diane Bondareff/Invision for Swiffer/AP Images

We're going to pay it forward by giving a special "Welcome Home" box from Swiffer and BarkBox to a woofie friend of ours and will share photos, a video, and tips for bringing home that special dog on a future post. In the meantime, Mom Paula is using the Swiffer products to clean up all of our fur around the house.

Truffle and Brulee explore the Welcome Home Box that will be shared with a special woofie.

At my house, my sister Connie and I shed the most and boy-oh-boy, can we ever make a mess. Mostly on clothes but you know, such is life. Love me, love my fur, that sort of thing and all. Can't imagine someone not knowing the love of a pet just because of a little fur. MOUSES!

Such beautiful fur babies. I am surprised that so many people don't get pets because of the mess, has our lives gotten so busy that we can't make time. I love my Swiffer, it only times minutes to clean. With a dog and three cats we have lots o hair bunnies floating around.

Two of the Farm cats have long hair so I know about shedding. Every once in a while I'll be sitting on the couch and a little tuft o'Sherpa will go flying by. *sigh* I love, love, love Swiffer dusters.

I live by Swiffer products! With a menagerie of 4 dogs and 7 cats, I can't imagine NOT having Swiffer in my home. And I love that Swiffer is suporting adoption by donating all those Welcome Home kits to shelters and rescues. Tweeted this!

Beautiful kitties, all of them! I never really thought much about pet hair until I got my corgis. Now, I pretty much think about nothing else. ;) (OK, maybe not that bad!) I love that swiffer and BarkBox are providing these items for new adoptive families!

Awww! All of your kitties have been so beautiful. It's nice to see that you have been able to share so much of your life with a fur baby. Swiffer products are wonderful for cleaning up pet messes! I used mine all the time back when I had non-carpeted floors. -Purrs from your friends at www.PlayfulKitty.net